In August 1980, the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) convened an ad hoc working group to discuss the Genetic Resources of Sweetpotato in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. One of the outcomes of that workshop was the development of a list of descriptors to be used for the characterization of sweetpotato accessions. This list included descriptos grouped under three major sections: passport data; characterization and preliminary evaluation; and further evaluation.This expanded list includes descriptors which had been tested in CIP’s sweet potato collection.